Figures show that there a fewer work opportunities for people with disabilities than there were twenty years ago.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics says that in 1993; 55 per cent of Australians with a disability had jobs, as did 77 per cent of people without a disability.

Now, that figure has dropped to 53 per cent employment for people with disabilities, while the employment figure for people without has gone up to 83 per cent.

About 18 per cent of Australians have some form of disability, with the nation now ranked near the bottom of the list for disabled participation in the workforce in OECD countries.

It is not only employers that miss out from the low participation rate; a recent study by Access Economics said that reducing the void in workforce participation between people with and without a disability by just a third would add $43 billion to the nation's GDP over the next decade.

The figures were released to coincide with the International Day of People with Disability this week. They also come at the same time as a new initiative is launched by non-profit group House With No Steps – which helps find jobs for people with disabilities.

Their new project, called ‘Choice Transition to Work’, is aimed at encouraging young school-leavers with a disability to engage with the workforce after the graduate.

“Participants are able to appreciate music, visit art galleries and museums, attend drama classes and more,” said Choice Solutions General Manager Marina Parsons

“These activities keep participants engaged, build confidence and improve communication, which are all vital skills for a young person with a disability entering the mainstream employment world.”

The Arts Council has announced an effort to close the gap this week too, providing new funding specifically for artists with a disability, saying that between 10 and 20 new projects will be funded from next year.